Congress would give hope to a failing enemy

Washington Times:

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday that Congress' push to oppose President Bush's troop increase in Iraq "emboldens the enemy" and undercuts the commanders in the field.
Facing the prospect of a no-confidence vote in the Senate next week, Mr. Bush called for Congress to give his plan "a chance to work" before ruling it out. But opposition continues to build, with high-profile Republicans and Democrats who previously supported his stance announcing their opposition yesterday, saying the goal of a stable Iraq may be out of reach now.
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Mr. Bush and administration officials are trying to earn enough time to prove that his plan to increase troops by 4,000 Marines in the Anbar province and more than 17,000 soldiers in Baghdad can work. Mr. Gates said Democrats' plan to vote on a nonbinding resolution opposing Mr. Bush's plan would send the wrong signal.
"A resolution that, in effect, says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy and our adversaries," he said in his first press conference.
"Any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to those folks. And I'm sure that that's not the intent behind the resolutions, but I think it may be the effect," Mr. Gates said.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, called Mr. Gates' statement "a desperate attempt" to bolster the president's policy.
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The fact is that Kennedy and those pushing for the resolution are desperate for defeat. They view an American victory as a defeat for the policies that they want to pursue. There is no rational military explanation given by them for their position. The silly framing using the word escalation shows their desperation for defeat.